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After passing in the House of Representatives earlier this week, the Senate early this morning passed a bipartisan budget agreement by a vote of 64 to 35. The agreement, negotiated by Republican and Democratic congressional leaders and President Obama, would lock in spending levels for the next two years and push back debate on the debt ceiling until March 2017. The bill now moves to President Obama’s desk for his signature.

Though there has been some support for automatic enrollment in income-based repayment (IBR) for student loan borrowers, policymakers and advocates have mixed feelings about using employer withholding, largely due to concerns about how such a tool would fit into the current design of IBR, according to a new report.

Some of the more selective colleges and universities with higher student outcomes could be doing more to enroll and graduate low-income students, according to a new report from the Institute for Higher Education Policy, released Thursday.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) on Thursday said it filed a lawsuit against a company that allegedly deceived tens of thousands of students nationwide in a financial aid scam.

While there is often no “best way” to do anything as a director, this Pathway helps attendees recognize and avoid the mistakes and missteps others have made, learn from the experiences of colleagues, and hear first-hand how they have implemented best practices on their campuses. If you're a new or aspiring financial aid association leader, don't miss a track geared just toward you at NASFAA's 2016 Leadership & Legislative Conference & Expo in Washington, D.C. in February. Register before Jan. 15 to save $100.

Conducting a financial aid information night is a great way to deliver important financial aid information to high school students and parents. NASFAA's newly updated Financial Aid Night presentation, is now available along with the accompanying slideshow, guide, and participant handouts. Designed to provide students and families with a basic understanding of financial aid concepts, this presentation also reviews sources of financial aid and the application process for federal student aid. Access the complimentary presentation today to start planning your next financial aid night.

Draft versions of the proposed 2016-2017 application forms used by individuals applying for federal student aid, including the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA^®) form and the Student Aid Report (SAR), are available for public comment.

"In September, President Obama announced the release of an updated FAFSA that aims to make the document-completion process simpler, while significantly shifting the deadline timetable to better align with that of college applications," The Atlantic reports.

"Liliana Ibarra's bachelor's degree in business administration from Washington State University couldn't save her from the unemployment line. Now she's banking on the idea that something else can: community college," according to The Hechinger Report.

"This Republican debate was brought to you by a word from our sponsor: Hillary Clinton. The Democrat front-runner scheduled four new television ads to run in New Hampshire and Iowa during the GOP debate on CNBC Wednesday night. And though the moderators mostly focused on issues such as the economy, taxes and fantasy football, a few Republicans were able to slip in their views on student loans, school choice, vocational education and for-profit colleges," Forbes reports.

"UConn's chief financial officer said Wednesday that with a $40.2 million deficit looming for the next fiscal year, it is likely that that a tuition increase will be part of the effort to close that gap," the Hartford Courant reports.

"I am not writing to critique the rules of the U.S. Senate or the merits of the broader goal of reforming the complex system of federal financial aid. I do, however, want to raise awareness about the ramifications of this action -- or inaction -- for students in Wisconsin and around the country. Given growing student need and the clear individual and societal returns on investment from this program, I urge support for ongoing efforts to revive the Perkins Loan program," Ray Cross, president of the University of Wisconsin System, writes in an opinion piece for Inside Higher Ed.

"If U.S. college graduates strongly agree that they interacted with people from different backgrounds on a regular basis in college, the odds that they believe their college degree was worth the cost are 2.2 times higher than other graduates who do not strongly agree that they interacted with people from different backgrounds," according to Gallup.

"Changing schools can also affect your financial aid. Start by checking the aid deadlines at any target schools, suggests Karen McCarthy, senior policy analyst at the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators. That’s particularly important for aid that’s specific to a particular school, which may be in limited supply," Money reports.

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